This invention relates to a traffic speed and control system for motor vehicles and more particularly to an improved traffic speed and control system that records and reports speed limit violations and alerts patrol cars of vehicles being driven at an excessive rate of speed and their location.
Traffic surveillance and control systems for motor vehicles are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,043 of Angeloni discloses a system for monitoring the speed of highway vehicles from a central control station. The system includes posting devices positioned at intervals along the highway and adapted to receive a speed message from the control station and transmit the speed message to passing vehicles in a limited region of the highway in the form of an r-f signal. Each vehicle contains an r-f receiver which is connected to the vehicle speedometer or other vehicle identification means in a manner that will provide, upon the occurrence of some predetermined excessive speed, an indication to the driver of the vehicle that the speed limit at that particular region of the highway is being exceeded. There is also a provision for reporting back to the control station the occurrence of an excessive vehicular speed as well as for providing accident warnings and the like.
A more recent approach to traffic speed surveillance systems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,823 of Horvat. As disclosed therein, the system includes a set of monitored transceivers located along a roadway and communicating with a central processor. The system also includes stationary transceivers for sending radio signals indicative of the speed limit in the location of a particular stationary transceiver. A vehicle transceiver mounted in a vehicle includes means for entering driver identification, vehicle identification and speedometer means for measuring the speed of the vehicle. The vehicle transceiver receives the radio signals from the monitored transceiver indicative of speed limit and compares measured speed against the limit and sends radio signals indicative of drive identification, vehicle identification and speed limit violation to the monitored transceiver for reporting to the central processor.
A further and even more recent approach to traffic surveillance systems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,941 of Mardirossian. As disclosed therein, a satellite traffic control system determines the location, and upon which roadway a vehicle is traveling. A memory in the vehicle system stores speed limit data relating to different roads, speed limits and/or red lights across the globe. A controller in the vehicle compares speed limit data, relative to determined speed of the vehicle so as to detect when the speed limit on the road upon which the vehicle is traveling is exceeded. When the speed limit is exceeded, a transmitter on the vehicle transmits a signal to at least one satellite indicative of the violation. The satellite forwards the violation signal to a motor vehicle department so that a ticket can be issued to the vehicle operator. In a similar manner, the satellite base system can detect other infractions such as running of red lights, and issue tickets in response to the same.
The traffic surveillance systems described above have not received broad commercial success. Accordingly, it is presently believed that there may be a need for an improved traffic surveillance system in accordance with the present invention. It is also believed that there may be a commercial market for an improved traffic surveillance system which offers numerous advantages. For example, it is presently believed that the implementation of the system disclosed herein will save lives, reduce injuries and property damage due to traffic accidents. As a result, there should be a corresponding reduction in hospital expenses and insurance claims which should further reduce the cost of accident and health insurance.
The system disclosed herein should also reduce aggressive driving techniques and aid in accident investigations. In addition, the systems will improve road safety for drivers and pedestrians, and should reduce the cost of enforcing speed limits and allow patrol vehicles and officers to concentrate on more serious offenses and/or provide assistance to drivers and others in need of help. Further, the systems disclosed herein should generate more revenue by an automated ticket function. The system also provides a remote system for disabling a vehicle which is being operated at a speed in excess of a given rate or in the case of an emergency to disable all vehicles in a given area with the exception of emergency vehicles.
In essence, the present invention contemplates an improved traffic speed surveillance and control system for regulating the speed of motor vehicles in selected areas. The traffic speed surveillance and control system includes a speed sensing means and vehicle identification means, both disposed within a motor vehicle as well as a vehicle mounted transmitter/receiver means which is operatively connected to the speed sensing means. The vehicle mounted transmitter/receiver means, transmits radio signals which are indicative of the vehicle identification and speed in a given location.
A plurality of speed monitoring mini remote terminal units are located along a highway. Each of those units includes location identification means and a first remote transmitter/receiver means for receiving signals from a vehicle mounted transmitter/receiver means which is indicative of the speed and identification of a passing vehicle. Each of the speed monitoring mini remote terminal units include computer means, a programable speed limit programmed into the computer, location identifying means and means for comparing the speed limit and the speed of a passing vehicle.
The traffic speed surveillance and control system also includes a communication center and one or more master remote terminal units receiving signals from a plurality of speed monitoring mini remote terminal units. The remote terminal units transmit data indicative of vehicle speed in excess of speed limits, vehicle identification and location from the mini remote terminal units to the communication center.
The communication center includes means for processing the information from the master remote terminal unit as for example to print a traffic citation for forwarding to the vehicle owner or to a patrol car for stopping the vehicle. Also, when the speed exceeds a predetermined speed over the speed limit, the communication center can transmit a signal to disable the engine in the offending vehicles or in the event of an emergency, to disable all of the motor vehicle engines in the area other than emergency vehicles wherein the vehicles include means to override the engine disabling function.
Each of the plurality of mini remote terminal units also includes means for generating a signal indicative of vehicle passing speed and identification when the vehicle speed exceeds the programmed speed limit.
The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals have been used to identify like parts.